Worship Theme:   The 2025/26 theme for the West Lutheran High School Association is “Unshakable Peace” based on Isaiah 26:3-4 –

“You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you . . . the Rock eternal.”

In the unpredictable moments of life God’s people rely on an immutable God who is faithful to every promise he makes. 

As we reflect on his peace today, 

may the Lord of wind and wave say: 

“Quiet! Be still!” during the stormy situations of life.

Anthem                                                                                 “Yonder Come Day”

Oh day, yonder come day.

Day done broke inna my soul, yonder come day.

Good mornin’ day, yonder come day.

A brand new day, yonder come day.

Oh come on child,

Hush, hush, somebody’s callin’ my name.

Hush, somebody’s callin’ my name.

Hush, hush, somebody’s callin’ my name.

Oh my Lord, oh my Lord what shall I do?

Oh day, yonder come day.

I was on my knees, yonder come day.

When I heard him say, yonder come day.

Oh come on child,

Steal away, steal away, steal away to Jesus.

Steal away, steal away, I ain’t got long to stay here.

Swing low, sweet chariot, comin’ for to carry me home.

Swing low, sweet chariot, comin’ for to carry me home.

Oh day, yonder come day.

Good mornin’ day, yonder come day.

A brand new day, yonder come day.

Oh come on child, yonder come day.

Day done broke inna my soul, yonder come day.

By Paul John Rudoi

Invocation
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

Amen.

Epiphany Dialogue

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.

God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness. 

When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.

See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples.

The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned. For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon us.

When the wicked advance against me to devour me, it is my enemies and my foes who will stumble and fall. Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear; though war break out against me, even then I will be confident. 

The Lord is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear?

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 

The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

Jesus said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life.”

We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.

 Anthem                                                    E’en So Lord Jesus Quickly Come

Peace be to you and grace from him who freed us from our sins,

Who loved us all and shed his blood that we might saved be.

Sing holy, holy to our Lord, the Lord, Almighty God,

Who was and is and is to come; Sing holy, holy, Lord!

Rejoice in heaven, all ye that dwell therein.

Rejoice on earth, ye saints below,

For Christ is coming, is coming soon.

For Christ is coming soon.

E’en so, Lord Jesus, quickly come, and night shall be no more;

They need no light nor lamp nor sun,

For Christ will be their All!

By Paul and Ruth Manz

THE WORD

Prayer of the Day

Let us pray.

Lord God, by the leading of a star, you once made known to the nations your one and only Son. Guide us, also, who know him now by faith to come at last to the perfect joy of your heavenly glory; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Amen.

Reading Isaiah 26:1–4, 12–13

¹In that day this song will be sung in the land of Judah:

We have a strong city;
God makes salvation
its walls and ramparts.
²Open the gates
that the righteous nation may enter,
the nation that keeps faith.
³You will keep in perfect peace
those whose minds are steadfast,
because they trust in you.
⁴Trust in the Lord forever,
for the Lord, the Lord himself, is the Rock eternal.

¹²Lord, you establish peace for us;
all that we have accomplished you have done for us.
¹³Lord our God, other lords besides you have ruled over us,
but your name alone do we honor.

The Word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Reading Ephesians 2:13–22

¹³But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

¹⁴For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, ¹⁵by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, ¹⁶and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. ¹⁷He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. ¹⁸For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.

¹⁹Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, ²⁰built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. ²¹In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. ²²And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.

Anthem                                                                                   “Be Thou My Vision”

Be thou my vision, O Lord of my heart;
Naught be all else to me save that thou art.
Thou my best thought, by day or by night,
Waking or sleeping, thy presence my light.

Be thou my wisdom, and thou my true Word;
I ever with thee and thou with me, Lord:
Thou my great Father, I thy true son,
Thou in me dwelling, and I with thee one.

Riches I heed not, nor man’s empty praise;
Thou mine inheritance, now and always.
Thou and thou only first in my heart,

High King of Heaven, my treasure thou art.

High King of Heaven, my victory won,
May I reach Heaven’s joys, O bright Heaven’s Sun!
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,
Still be my vision, O Ruler of all!

Be thou my vision, O Lord of my heart.

Arranged by Benjamin David Knoedler

Gospel Matthew 2:1–12

¹After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem ²and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”

³When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. ⁴When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born. ⁵“In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written:

⁶“ ‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for out of you will come a ruler
who will shepherd my people Israel.’”

⁷Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. ⁸He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.”

⁹After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. ¹⁰When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. ¹¹On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. ¹²And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.

The Gospel of the Lord.

Praise be to you, O Christ!

Anthem   “Hallelujah, Light has Come”

My Baby, heaven sent You to me.  All the world’s been praying: “Who will save?”

But who am I, that here tonight I hold the One who”ll bring us life?

Hallelujah! We’ve been found! A Child is born to save us now: Jesus!

Hallelujah! Light has come, a Savior who will set us free,

The Promised for those who believe.

Do you hear the angels sing for You, my Baby? Men and kings have come to bow 

to You.

But here in my arms, so close to me, the Son of God, now all can see. 

Hallelujah! We’ve been found! A Child is born to save us now: Jesus!

Hallelujah! Light has come, a Savior who will set us free,

The Promised for those who believe.

So, praise to God on high; He has heard our cry.

So, praise to God on high; He has heard our cry.

Hallelujah! We’ve been found! A Child is born to save us now: Jesus!

Hallelujah! Light has come, a Savior who will set us free,

The Promised for those who believe.

My Baby.

By Barlow Girls 

Arranged by  Mark McClure

Sermon    Matthew 2:1-12

Apostles’ Creed

I believe in God, the Father Almighty,
        maker of heaven and earth.

I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,
        who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
        born of the Virgin Mary,

        suffered under Pontius Pilate,

        was crucified, died, and was buried.

    He descended into hell.

    The third day he rose again from the dead.
    He ascended into heaven

        and is seated at the right hand of God the Father Almighty.
    From there he will come to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit,

        the holy Christian Church,

            the communion of saints,
        the forgiveness of sins,

        the resurrection of the body,
        and the life everlasting. Amen.

Offering – Please leave offering in the plate as you depart.

Anthem                                                                                  “Come Find His Rest”

Come weary one, leave thy labors; come, lift thy head, see thy Savior and Friend.

His arms are opened wide; O soul, be satisfied. Come find his rest.

Take his yoke upon thee, for he is gentle and lowly in heart.

So learn from Christ the Lord, thy Portion and Reward. Come find his rest.

I heard the voice of Jesus say, “Come unto me and rest;

Lay down, O weary one, lay down your head upon my breast.”

I came to Jesus as I was, so weary, worn, and sad;

I found in him a resting place, and he has made me glad.

By Erik Dewar

Arranged by Dan Forrest

Prayer of the Church 

Heavenly Father, you have gathered people of all ages into the communion of saints. Today we thank you especially for the gift of young people to your Church.  

We come before you today and ask that you keep them in your care.

Protect them from the perils and temptations common to youth.  Help them resist the pressure to conform to the ways of the world.  When they become confused, show them the way. When they hurt, bind up their wounds. When they fail, restore them according to your mercy.

Keep the cross of Christ before their eyes. 

Bless them with good friends, competent teachers, faithful ministers, caring parents, supportive homes, and life-enriching experiences. Spare them from the perils of unexpected tragedy, severe illness, violent crime, a broken home, or an untimely death.  

This we ask according to your good and gracious will.

Be with our children as they continue to mature. Teach them the value of honest labor and faithful stewardship. Guide and direct them as they prepare for their life’s vocations. 

Remind them that their highest joy is found in using talents and abilities in service to you.

Special prayers may follow.

Most of all, dear Lord, we ask you to keep this and every generation faithful to your truth. Strengthen believers through regular use of Word and sacrament.  Open our mouths to share the gospel with friends and acquaintances, that each new generation may know the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord. 

Hear us for Jesus’ sake.  Amen.

Lord’s Prayer

Our Father who art in heaven,

 hallowed be thy name,

 thy kingdom come,

 thy will be done

  on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread.

And forgive us our trespasses,

 as we forgive those

 who trespass against us.

And lead us not into temptation,

but deliver us from evil.

For this is the kingdom 

and the power and the glory,

 forever and ever. Amen.

Blessing

The Lord bless you and keep you.

The Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you.

The Lord look on you with favor and give you peace.

Amen.

Anthem    “I’ll Not Be Shaken” Psalm 62D

Text: Wendell Kimbrough
Tune: Wendell Kimbrough
Text and tune: © 2015 Wendell Kimbrough. Used by permission: OneLicense no. 541386

Acknowledgments

Setting One from Christian Worship

Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.^TM Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

Liturgical and musical settings of Scripture based on text from The Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.^TM Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

Software distributed in partnership with Northwestern Publishing House.

Created by Christian Worship: Service Builder © 2025 Concordia Publishing House.

Anthem texts are printed with permission by One License #L-541386 and CCLI #3143212.

Our Mission:  Learn academic and life skills, believe God’s Word, grow in Christian character and achieve personal excellence.

The Western Accents choir has been established to give students the opportunity to nurture their God-given abilities and to use them to praise God from whom these blessings flow. The Western Accents tour in the WLHS association and elsewhere to promote the ministry of West Lutheran, recruit students, nurture relationships, and support association churches and schools through music.

Your Support is Appreciated!

Through the years God has richly blessed West Lutheran High School with financial support from its affiliated congregations and from friends who have a love for Secondary Christian Education.  Thank you for your willingness to support this ministry.  Your generosity ensures that God’s Word is taught at West Lutheran in the present and into the future!

Serving in God’s House today:

Mrs. Kari Hahm, Director of Accents

Pastor Mark Kaesmeyer, WLHS Director of Mission Advancement

Mr. Dave Gartner, WLHS Principal

FIRST SUNDAY AFTER EPIPHANY January 11, 2026

Immanuel Ev. Lutheran Church

THE SCHEDULE   

Tues., Jan. 13 NO Ladies Fellowship

Wed., Jan. 14 6:30 p.m., Catechism

Next Sunday, Jan. 18, Greeters: Bakke Family

OUR FATHER’S BUSINESS

ANNUAL VOTERS’ MEETING is scheduled for Sunday, Feb. 1 after the worship service. Give prayerful consideration to becoming a voting member and, if asked, to serving your church family in any capacity. Please have all your reports for the annual report to Julie Gutknecht or Pastor Oehlke by Jan. 18.

THANK YOU to West Lutheran High School, Mrs. Kari Hahm and the Accents and Pastor Mark Kaesmeyer for bringing God’s Word to us this morning. A plate offering will be taken to benefit WLHS (table in the narthex). The congregation and West guests are invited to a light luncheon after the worship service.

HOST FAMILIES NEEDED FOR BAND FEST: We still need housing for 50 more students!  Most students will arrive the evening of Thursday, March 19, and will depart Sunday, March 22.  Host families will provide transportation to and from West each day of Band Fest. Students will join host families for worship at your church on Sunday morning before returning to West for final rehearsals.  West will provide most meals for Band Fest students.  If you’re interested in serving as a host family, please contact Pastor.

THANK YOU to all who stepped in last week to repack the Christmas decorations. Many hands did make light work.

ATTENDANCE AT THE LORD’S HOUSE: 

Sunday, Jan. 4 59
FOR THE LORD’S WORK:     Dec. 28: General Fund-$1,742.  Jan. 4: General Fund-$2,713; Salem-$7; West-$5; Building-$5; MLC-$5; Fishers-$5. Mission Report: Dec. 28-$20 (YTD-$23,114.15);   Jan. 4-$315.